BRUSSELS, December 17. /TASS/. The EU has started the written procedure to approve the 12th package of sanctions against Russia, which includes the ban on supplies of Russian gem diamonds to the Union’s member states among other things, a source in the EU institutions in Brussels told TASS.

"The written procedure has been initiated, it will not take long, sanctions will come into force shortly, early next week at latest," the diplomat said. The start of the approval procedure became possible after Austria’s sanctions reservation was lifted.

Earlier, Reuters confirmed that Austria had given its approval to the 12th package of EU sanctions on Russia after Ukraine removed Raiffeisen Bank International from a blacklist. Austria had been pushing to remove the bank from a Ukrainian list dubbed "international sponsors of war" - which sets out to shame companies doing business in Russia and supporting the war effort by, for instance, paying taxes, the agency said.